China's Deep Blue Aerospace Targets 2027 For First Suborbital Tourism Flights

Chinese commercial launch company Deep Blue Aerospace has announced its ambitions to enter the suborbital space tourism market, aiming to provide passenger flights by 2027. The move places the startup in direct competition with industry leaders like Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin, as well as other emerging players in China's growing commercial space sector.

Deep Blue Aerospace is currently focused on advancing its Nebula-1 reusable orbital rocket, which is set to undergo a series of rigorous tests in the coming years.

The next major step for the company will be a vertical takeoff, vertical landing (VTVL) test scheduled for November 2024. The company experienced a setback in September when it lost a first stage during the final moments of a 179-second VTVL test flight, but it remains undeterred.

A full orbital flight and recovery is planned for 2025, marking a critical milestone in its path toward reusable rocket technology.

In addition to developing its launch capabilities for satellite contracts, Deep Blue Aerospace has set its sights on suborbital space tourism. The company is poised to capitalize on a rapidly expanding market, with other firms like Blue Origin having already proven the viability of such services.

“After the Nebula-1 rocket will undergo multiple recovery and reuse tests in 2025, the Deep Blue Aerospace crew spacecraft-rocket combination will also undergo dozens of tests in 2026 to ensure the safety and reliability of suborbital manned travel, and officially start suborbital travel commercialization in 2027,” - Deep Blue Aerospace Statement on Oct. 23.

As part of its marketing push, Deep Blue Aerospace will begin presales of the first two suborbital tickets during a Taobao live streaming event on Oct. 24, which will feature the company’s chairman, Huo Liang. Future tickets are expected to go on sale later, as the company ramps up for its commercial tourism debut.

The company is clearly aware of its competition, noting the successes of Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin in suborbital tourism, and SpaceX’s orbital Dragon tourist flights.

“there are also many commercial aerospace companies in China that are closely developing and exploring the process of commercializing space tourism.” - Deep Blue Aerospace Statement on Oct. 23.

The Rocket

Deep Blue Aerospace's system will use a single-stage reusable rocket paired with a crew spacecraft, much like Blue Origin’s New Shepard system. It is designed to reach altitudes of between 100 and 150 kilometers, offering passengers up to 600 seconds of microgravity experience.

The Capsule

The crew module will be 3.5 meters wide and 4 meters tall, capable of carrying six passengers. With six windows for spectacular views, the spacecraft is designed to be reused up to 50 times. It will also have a payload capacity of 1,200 kilograms, allowing for potential scientific missions alongside tourism.

The Price

The company has set the price for a suborbital ticket at 1.5 million yuan (approximately $210,000).

Founded in 2017 and led by Huo Liang, Deep Blue Aerospace has steadily grown its capabilities and secured strategic funding as recently as August 2024. The company is headquartered in Jiangsu Province, China, and has its sights set on becoming a significant player in both commercial satellite launches and space tourism.

Competitions Within China

Deep Blue Aerospace is not alone in its pursuit of suborbital tourism. CAS Space, a spinoff from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), also plans to launch its own suborbital tourist flights starting in 2027. CAS Space announced its intentions in 2021 and is similarly working on an orbital reusable kerosene-liquid oxygen rocket.

Both companies aim to conduct suborbital flights, although it remains unclear whether they will eventually expand into offering orbital tourist flights.

As the global space tourism market heats up, Deep Blue Aerospace’s 2027 timeline sets the stage for China to become a serious player in commercial space travel, offering more competition in a sector that is quickly expanding beyond the pioneering efforts of Western firms.